Happy Birthday, Kensi
by thepixiesmademedoit
Summary: It's Kensi's birthday, but Deeks is away on assignment for LAPD.


**This is my first fan-fic and I'm more than a tad worried about it. It's either pretty brave of me or really rather stupid! I shall leave it to the readers to decide! Comments are welcome, especially if they're constructive and instructive. **

**Apologies for any obvious mistakes and for anyone who seems disasterously OOC. **

**This is based sometime in season 3. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA or any of the characters. Nope, not me!  
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It was 10am on Thursday morning. Kensi Blye sat at her desk and tried to concentrate on the report in front of her. Beside her on the floor sat an open box with various reports and photo logs of evidence from a 4 year old cold case they'd been involved in.

It had been a slow couple of weeks at the Office of Special Projects. There were no current cases and all of the paperwork was up to date so they'd begun to look over some old cold cases.

Kensi looked over at Callen and Sam who each had their own box to go through and both seemed engrossed in what they were looking at. Her eyes then fell on the empty desk beside Sam and she found herself just staring. Deeks had been away on a two week assignment for almost six weeks and, as much as she hated to admit it, she missed him.

LAPD had suddenly called him back for what they'd called a 'simple assignment', but six weeks later they'd heard hardly anything relating to him, let alone to when he would return. In fact they hadn't even heard what the assignment was about or what Deeks' involvement was. But the decision to give out or with hold that information from them belonged solely to LAPD and right now they were witholding big style. Even Hetty seemed unaware of the circumstances that were keeping Deeks away from them, which was unusual. However, Hetty was queen of the poker face - there were brick walls which were easier to read - so who ever really knew what Hetty knew?

Kensi glanced across at her two other team mates. Even they, in their own way, were missing the detective. Things were too quiet and it seemed that they too had become used to Deeks' ability to lighten the atmosphere in any given situation. He did make her laugh, that she would admit to. He made them all laugh. Even Sam.

Deeks was making her laugh the night before he left on his assignment. A smile ghosted across her face at the memory - Deeks had treated her to dinner at a resaurant not far from his apartment.

Dinner. Not something they would have done a year ago. Or less than a year ago. Their partnership had slowly evolved into something she wouldn't have recognised, if shown when they first met. The time they spent together outside of work meant something. It was a friendship, of course, but it was also something that carried with it the very real possibility of something more. It felt, to Kensi, that they were just starting to discover what that was when LAPD wisked him away without warning.

They'd left the restaurant and slowly walked back along the beach towards Deeks' apartment. It wasn't exactly the direct route but who cared? They weren't in any hurry, it was a warm night and Kensi was happy to let Deeks take her on his favourite detour. She'd always noted how at peace he appeared once he was near the ocean. It's proximity seemed to affect his very soul. They walked with their arms brushing against each other until Kensi had swallowed down a big gulp of uncertainty and linked her arm with his. Deeks had just smiled at her and moved his arm slightly up and away from his body causing her hand to slide down into his. She smiled back, reassured, and squeezed his hand enjoying how it felt. Making their way across the empty beach they talked and laughed, and when Deeks had wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Kensi had just hugged him back. No thought involved.

They'd stretched out the walk back to the apartment as long as they could and as they approached Kensi's car Deeks' phone had rung. It was his boss at LAPD calling with an urgent assignment. He wanted Deeks to meet him right away.

Deeks sighed, looked to the sky and cursed. He returned the phone to his pocket and explained the call to Kensi. She rested back against her car as she listened and watched as he took a few steps so that he was standing directly in front of her.

"And I was going to invite you in for a nightcap." He added suggestively, a wry smile present on his lips. He'd said it to flirt but Kensi didn't miss the fact that there was real intention behind it.

Kensi's gaze slipped to her feet before she raised her head and looked her partner in the eye,

"And I was going to say 'yes'." She said causing Deeks' cheeks to warm and his smile to grow.

As he took another half step towards her she leaned in to meet him as he tentatively brushed his lips against hers. They pulled back a few inches from each other, taking a second to look one another in the eye. It was all they needed in terms of certainty and when their lips met again Deeks felt Kensi kissing him back with equal want and desire. She could feel his hand in her hair and against her face, the other on her waist gently squeezing her. Wrapping her arms around his back she pulled her own body flush to his. Heat radiated between them and Kensi could swear she could feel his heart hammering against his rib cage. Her hands meandered down and under his shirt tails where her fingers began to trace patterns over the soft skin of his back before dipping down just below the waisteband of his jeans. God, this felt good.

Deeks' skin was on fire from her touch. He placed a fluttering of light kisses along her jaw and down her neck, stopping only when her shirt and jacket made it impossible to continue onwards. The need to remove clothing made venturing any further more of a private occasion, and knowing this wasn't about to happen he simply rested his mouth against the crook of her neck and breathed deeply. Kensi's head fell forward against his shoulder and she too took a steadying breath. They stood there in each other's embrace for a few minutes, content, safe, allowing the intensity of the moment to pass. Kensi placed her mouth against his ear and breathed warm air into it causing him to shiver involuntarily. She kissed him again, lingeringly, longingly, but they both knew that this was as far as they could go for tonight. Fate, or more specifically, Deeks' boss, had other ideas for them.

"Raincheck?" He asked tilting his head a little to one side.

"Definitely." She nodded and kissed him once more. "You should go." Those three words were surprisingly hard to say, but Kensi knew that it was as much of a reminder to herself as him. If he didn't leave soon they were destined to give Deeks' neighbours an encour to the show they'd just been given.

"Yeah, I know." Deeks agreed reluctantly. "I'll call you when I know what's happening."

"You better!" She told him and he smiled.

"I'll speak to you later." He said and leaned in once more placing a final soft kiss on Kensi's lips.

The next morning, as he'd promised, Deeks let her know what was happening, but only via text message – _Sorry, but I can't call. LAPD assignment, immediate start, they reckon 2 weeks max. Looking forward to our raincheck, Marty xx _

Kensi sighed and text him back – _Me too, be safe, K xx –_ It was going to be a long two weeks.

"Kensi! Earth to Kensi!"

Kensi was brought back to reality by Callen trying to get her attention. She blinked and looked over at the man sat next to her who was wearing an amused expression on his face. She'd completely zoned out thinking about Deeks. Damn!

"Ah, she is still with us, Sam!"

"That cold case must be really enthralling." Sam noted with small smirk on his lips. "Or maybe it's something, or should I say someone, else that's got you day-dreaming?"

Knowing that whatever she retorted with would only further dig herself into trouble Kensi settled for sending a glare across the room to the ex-SEAL. Sam chuckled.

"Thought so."

"Maybe she thinks that if she stares at his desk hard enough he'll suddenly appear!" Callen added realising too late that he was within arms reach of his team mate who promptly smacked him across the arm. Hard.

"Ow!" He said with a chuckle and rubbed the spot where Kensi had hit him. "If that's how you treat him no wonder Deeks is staying away!"

"Ah, come on, G, give her a break. It is pretty quiet without him here to annoy us." Sam said shooting a soft smile in Kensi's direction. " After 6 weeks I'd even start to miss you."

"Really?"

"Don't get your hopes up. I said _start _to miss."

"Are you saying it would take almost 6 weeks for you to even start to miss me?" Callen asked his partner incredulously.

Sam's face remained impassive as he looked across at Callen "Yes." He stated and looked back down at his file.

Kensi couldn't help but laugh.

"Nice, Sam." Callen told him "That's really nice."

Sam didn't even raise his head, just shrugged. "You asked."

"Well next time lie to me."

"I'll add it to the list!"

Instead of retorting Callen looked over at Kensi and gave her a genuine look of affection. "You really are missing him, aren't you?"

Callen had realised a while ago that Kensi and Deeks were growing closer, that their partnership had been properly signed and sealed with trust and friendship. However, he also had a nagging feeling that it didn't end there. He didn't have any actual evidence to back this theory up, it was more of a Gibbs feeling. All in his gut. He'd mentioned it to Sam and he'd agreed. His gut was saying one thing, the evidence was saying another. At least for now.

Deeks was a natural flirt and he was often seen exercising this characteristic on his partner. Kensi, on the other hand, wasn't used to such constant and effortless teasing and affection being aimed in her direction. At first she'd felt the need to put up a barrier of sarcasm and threats of bodily harm, but Deeks just carried on undeterred. Callen was watching them one day, Deeks was being... well, Deeks and leaned in close to Kensi, a grin on his face the whole time. Some cheesey pick-up line passed his lips, but instead of the usual distaste that Kensi normally reacted with Callen watched as a smile slowly crept across her face. That's when his gut had begun to kick in.

"Yes." She stated simply just as Sam had done.

Kensi had opened her mouth to reply to Callen's question with some sort of fierce denile. Seeing the look on his face, so open and without judgement, she just couldn't seem to manage it.

Callen nodded, "Well, in that case the least we can do is take you out tonight to celebrate your birthday."

"How did you know it was my birthday?" She asked suprise mingling with suspicion.

"Because I'm the best boss ever and I know these things?" Callen tried hopefully

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with the fact that I've been reminding him all week!" Sam added dryly and jumped up from his desk, walked round to the back of the sofa and produced a boquet of lillies. He wondered back over to a now smiling Kensi, kissed her on the cheek and handed her the flowers. "Happy Birthday."

"Thankyou, 're beautiful!"

"You're welcome." Sam replied.

"And thanks to all of Sam's very annoying reminders," Callen said reaching into his bag "I got you this."

Callen handed Kensi an envelope. She opened it carefully and smiled at the card she had pulled out – horses running across a desert. As she opened the card to read what Callen had written something slipped from it onto her desk. Kensi picked up the 2 items and studied them carefully.

"Hockey tickets?" She asked smiling at Callen who nodded. "We haven't gone to a game in ages."

"That's what I thought." Callen agreed "So next Thursday night it's you, me, chillie dogs, zamboni and guys with no teeth for a whole evening."

Kensi reached across to Callen and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thankyou. I can't wait." Callen hugged her back tightly, happy that Sam had nagged him so incesently.

"So where are we taking you for dinner?"

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. They'd made a few phone calls and done some research relating to the cold cases they were each working on, but nothing out of the ordinary. At lunch Nell had produced a chocolate cake with candles and with a fleeting glance at the empty desk Kensi didn't have to stop and think before making her wish and blowing the tiny flames out.

As the team filed out of the mission at 5.30pm Callen's phone rang. He answered it and smiled. Two minutes later he hung up and immediately dialled out on a call that once again lasted only a few minutes.

"Everything ok?" Sam asked as Callen joined him in the car.

"Yeah, it is."

Two hours later the six team members stood at the bar of Adrianno's Italian restaurant enjoying a drink. They'd all made an effort for the occassion and were dressed in smart clothes. Even Eric had found a pair of long trousers to wear, much to the shock of all.

A waiter guided them to their table to be seated and before they could sit down Nell noted a discrepancy.

"They laid up a seat too many."

"No, they didn't."

They all looked around at the sound of the familiar voice to see it's owner stood behind them.

"You're late." Callen stated firmly

"I know. I'm sorry." Deeks told him sheepishly and looked Kensi in the eyes "Happy birthday, Kensi." he said softly and extended his right arm towards her, a single red rose held between his fingers.

Kensi could feel that it wasn't only Deeks' bright blue eyes that were on her, but the whole team's. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh hysterically or cry, she was just too stunned to see him stood there in front of her. She carefully took in his appearance – he had a stitched cut on his right cheek with a small bruise and another on his jaw, and two fingers on his left hand were splinted. Apart from that he looked fine. Kensi had to admit, dressed in a smart white shirt and black suit jacket, holding out a rose to her, he looked particularly fine. Kensi smiled and stepped towards her partner taking the rose from him and continuing into his embrace. She wasn't usually a person that went in for public displays of affection, but after six weeks of Deeks being away, and with no communication of his status from LAPD she really didn't care what anyone thought. She was just pleased, and relieved, to see him.

The rest of the team busied themselves getting seated in an attempt to give the reunited partners a little privacy.

With Kensi's arms wrapped around his body and neck Deeks dropped his face to her bare shoulder enjoying the feeling of her in his arms, being able to just breath her in, his skin to hers. It was the thought of being able to do this, of having her to come home to, that had kept him going the previous weeks.

"You're back?" She asked tentatively

"Apart from some paperwork, I am back." He confirmed straightening his stance and placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"I didn't think candle wishes ever came true!" She told him with a smile.

Deeks smiled back and released her from his embrace. He desperately wanted to lean in and kiss her properly, but their greeting had already been more intimate than simple friends would enjoy. They didn't want to arouse suspicions if they didn't have to. Both seemed to sense that fact, so before anyone could comment they reluctantly parted.

"Are you okay?" Kensi asked seriously

"I am now." Deeks answered softly and taking her hand he led her over to the table where their team was waiting. He looked around the table at the team and smiled softly to himself. He really had missed them. All of them, not just the beautiful brunette who was sat to his left. More and more he was feeling that he belonged with this astonishing group of people. He looked at Hetty and recalled the offer she had made to make him an agent a few months before. Never had he felt closer to accepting it. Hetty gazed straight back at him and offered him a small smile. She must have been aware at some level of what his assignment was about. But there was time for explinations and debriefings later. Right now he just wanted to enjoy the evening.

"You doing okay, man?"

Deeks looked up to see Sam leaning between his and Kensi's chairs and nodded. "Yeah, I am. It's just been a long couple of months, you know?"

They'd all finished their main course, the plates were cleared and dessert was ordered leaving them all to enjoy the drinking and talking part of the evening. Kensi was turned away from Sam and Deeks and was engaged in a hockey discussion with Callen and Nell, whilst Eric was listening entranced at one of Hetty's travel tales. Deeks had been listening too, but seemed to have drifted off into his own thoughts momentarily.

"Rough one?" Sam wasn't asking to get Deeks to reveal anything about his assignment. He just wanted to check in on how he was. Deeks seemed a little on the quiet side and Sam was sure he wasn't the only one to have noticed.

"Am glad it's over." Deeks answered vaguely.

Sam nodded in understanding. Things were still tumbling around in Deeks' head and he wasn't ready to put it into words or give it context just yet. Deeks knew himself that he was quiet, a little serious even, but finishing up an undercover assignment was always a rollercoaster of emotions and it took a few days for the natural equilibrium to be restored. He was blessed to be sat in a room, surrounded by a group of people, who were completely understanding of that.

"Well, it's good to have you back." Sam told him causing an eyebrow to shoot up "It's been way too quiet without your incesant jabbering!"

They both smiled. Sam gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder and then returned to his seat immediately

Deeks felt nature calling so stood from the table and made his way to the bathroom. Exiting back into the cloakroom area a few minutes later Kensi was stood waiting for him with an expectant look on her face. Not being a man who liked to disappoint he quickly checked to make sure they didn't have company before walking over to her and pressing his lips firmly to hers, his hands resting on either side of her head. The kiss was brief but emotion filled and after they stood in a comfortable silence, their foreheads touching.

"I needed that." Deeks told her and kissed the spot where his head had rested against hers.

"Me too." she admitted "You doing okay? You seem a bit quiet."

"I'm just tired," he answered against her forehead "It's the come-down, everything's still fresh."

"I get it." Kensi assured him "And when you're ready and able to talk about it, you know I'll be here."

Deeks nodded and softly kissed her lips again. "We better get back before someone eats your tiramissu."

"If they do, they're dead!"

Leaving the restaurant at the end of the evening everyone parted ways either by taxi or the designated drivers. Deeks hadn't felt like drinking much so offered to drive Kensi home. She handed him the keys to the SRX and they walked back to the car.

The streets were getting less busy as Deeks drove them towards Kensi's apartment. They chatted easily, familiarity having been re-established, and she reached across resting a hand on his leg.

They pulled up next to Kensi's apartment complex and Deeks turned off the engine.

"You coming in?" Kensi asked him as she stepped from the car. Deeks nodded and followed her into the apartment.

"Did I get round to telling you how gorgeous you look tonight?" He asked as he collapsed onto the sofa

Kensi smiled as she eased off her heels watching him the whole time. Deeks looked about ready to fall asleep.

"You just did." She said sitting down beside him. "You don't look like you can move. Want to stay here tonight?"

Deeks looked at her quickly with a smug grin on his face.

_Yup, still the same ol' Deeks _Kensi thought as her cheeks coloured slightly and she hit him lightly on the arm. Opened her mouth to reply Deeks placed a finger over her lips.

"I'd like that." He told her seriously "I really don't feel like being on my own tonight."

"Come on." She said standing up and tugging at his hand. Deeks didn't need telling twice.

Kensi had imagined their first night back together so differently. Having missed him more than she believed was possible over the previous weeks, she'd thought that the unresolved sexual tension between them would have been fit to burst. She was wrong. The tension was still there, sizzling nicely, but as she lay cuddled into his side, his arm wrapped firmly around her, she realised that this was better because they needed it more. Sex could wait. Just being able to lie in bed holding onto the other, a feeling of safety and contentment surrounding them? That was what she had craved the most whilst they'd been apart.

There was no doubt in her mind that whatever assignment Deeks had been on had taken an emotional and physical toll. They would get to that later. For tonight, on her birthday, she was just happy to fall asleep holding on to the best present she could have wished for.

"I really missed you." Deeks mumbled, sleep slowly taking him over.

"I missed you too." She whispered back.

"Happy Birthday, Fern."

Kensi simply laughed and drifted off into a contented slumber.

THE END


End file.
